


Take Me To Neverland

by 263Adder



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Peter Pan & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Peter Pan is not Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold's Father
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 02:41:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4689407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/263Adder/pseuds/263Adder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her first visit to Neverland had been wholly different. Leaving her brothers behind she had only been gone from London a single night - however that totalled to what she guessed was a week on the island. Time moved so differently there.</p><p>At first, as daybreak dawned, Wendy had panicked that her family would awake to find her gone - but Peter laughed and explained back home she hadn't even been gone for an hour. The different passes of times would come to be a curse on her second visit, her brothers lived a 100 years without her, Wendy went much longer.</p><p>But at first it was magical.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Her first visit to Neverland had been wholly different. Leaving her brothers behind she had only been gone from London a single night - however that totalled to what she guessed was a week on the island. Time moved so differently there.

At first, as daybreak dawned, Wendy had panicked that her family would awake to find her gone - but Peter laughed and explained back home she hadn't even been gone for an hour. The different passes of times would come to be a curse on her second visit, her brothers lived a 100 years without her, Wendy went much longer.

But at first it was magical.

And that's why she would allow him to take her at night. She could spend whole days away - away from school, away from her family, away from all the commitments and expectations that were steadily beginning to pile up on her.

The Lost Boys made commitments on her too, gradually they became accustomed to her presence - but it wasn't the same. Yes, she did chores for them, but it wasn't the same. Being their mother, telling them stories, tucking them in at night, making their breakfast, it was better than any make believe she could have done with her brothers back home. The Lost Boys respected what she did for them, and not just because Peter told them to. They seemed genuinely happy that she was there.

Peter always came to get her. He never sent his shadow or the other Lost Boys. His shadow would sometimes come too, and Wendy found him fascinating. A bit scary at first but after Peter explained what it was she came to like him, though he couldn't talk.

"Are you ready to go Wendy?" Peter would say as they stood at her window. She would clutch onto his hand so tight she was sure she was hurting him, though of course he wouldn't admit it if she was. Then she'd turn to him and say,

"Take me to Neverland."


	2. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Wendy have a conversation about her future in Neverland.

As they approached the island Wendy could see the rising sun over the masts of the Pirate ship that sat on the horizon. The water in Mermaid Lagoon looked as peaceful as the rest of Neverland, but the day was young and with Peter there that peace was bound to end soon.

Approaching the camp she saw only Felix in the opening, sat on a log sharpening his dagger.

Setting her down softly, Peter released Wendy's hand and walked over to him. "Where are the lads?"

"Playing in the forest."

"You didn't go with them?"

"There were things to do."

Wendy thinks a significant glance is shared but ignores it. All her brain has space for is wondering where they will adventure to today. She still wants to see the mermaids, even though Peter thinks they're too dangerous.

Felix looks up from his knife at Wendy. "Hello Wendy."

"Hello Felix." She responded pleasantly.

"Nice flight."

"Very nice."

Peter takes her hand and leads her away into the jungle.

"Are we going to see the boys?"

"Not yet. I have something else I want to show you."

"What is it?"

"It's a surprise."

They begin to rise off the floor.

"Just close your eyes we'll be there soon."

"Close my eyes?" Wendy asked doubtfully.

He pulled her to him and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I have you. Close your eyes."

Allowing one last look at his face she reluctantly closed them.

"There, see it's fine. We'll only be a minute."

"A minute?"

"I promise."

Flying with her eyes shut felt very unsafe, though Wendy was certain that Peter would never let her fall. Nevertheless as they flew higher Wendy instinctively tightened her grasp around Peter's shoulders.

"I'm not going to drop you." He laughed.

He was true to his word, they couldn't have been in the air for longer than a minute, a minute and a half at most. When they landed this time Peter clasped his hands over her eyes and pushed her forwards.

"Peter." She complained.

"Two more seconds."

Peter dropped his hands from her eyes and put them on her shoulders, turning her slightly to the left. "Okay. Open your eyes Wendy."

Blinking a little as her eyes readjusted to the light Wendy looked up before her at a large tree which seemed to have a small flight of stairs coming down from its branches. From amongst the leaves she could just make out a structure hidden within.

"Go on." Peter nudged her forwards.

Hesitantly Wendy placed her foot on the first step, looking up to see a trap door above her. With Peter walking closely behind her she ascended.

He reached over her shoulder, brushing her skin as he did, in order to open the door for her before he pushed her in by the small of her back. If only her Aunt were here now, she would tut in disapproval of Wendy, not only letting a boy who was not a relation touch her, but for her venturing off into the woods alone with him in the first place.

Pushing thoughts of relations and propriety to a side, Wendy stepped into the little house Peter was showing her. It seemed designed for a girl, and not for the first time Wendy wondered if she was truly the first girl Neverland had allowed to stay like Peter said.

There was a wrought iron bed in the middle, well made up with white sheets and crocheted blankets. The little windows were framed in lace and the dresser littered with an assortment of knick knacks and trinkets only a girl would keep.

"Oh." Wendy breathed slowly taking in her surroundings. "Who lives here?"

"Well." Peter started, moving to face her. "I hoped you would." He asked gently, though Wendy still spied the usual mischievous glint in his eye.

"Me?"

"Yes. I conjured it up the other night. Some of the boys added some things to it, Tink too. What do you think?"

"Well...it's quite lovely."

"I thought you'd prefer it to living at the camp."

"I'm sure it will be a very nice place to stay...on my visits."

Peter glowered. Her staying in Neverland had become a more frequent conversation during her night time escapes than she preferred.

"Wendy." Peter said, obviously putting forth effort to calm his face and voice. "Neverland needs you. The boys need you. They want a mother. And if this is just because of your family I can bring your brothers here."

"I can't be their mother Peter. They already have mothers, they just seem to have forgotten about them is all." Wendy sighed. It was true that playing mother to the boys was fun - more fun than the usual hyperactive, brutal games they preferred. But whenever she broached the topic of their real families the atmosphere around the camp grew tense as the boys looked towards Peter.

Peter liked to think Wendy thought there was nothing going on. That Neverland was just a magical island where children never grow up and any kind of dream could become a reality. It hadn't taken Wendy long to discover what Neverland really was. A home for scared children who had either run or had, more likely, been taken from their families and forced to forget everything about them and any semblance of reality.

For them, now, Peter and the other Lost Boys were their only family. But not a family by any definition of the word that Wendy would use. This family was based on complete obedience to the Pan, and the very real threat of 'disappearing' if they failed to comply.

"Their past lives hold nothing to what they have now that they live here. I would have thought you would understand that by now."

"Peter - I love coming here, I do. But the thought of never going home..." She trailed off.

"I told you, I can bring your brothers."

"But my parents."

"You don't need any. Can't you see that? No one on Neverland has parents. I am father and you are mother. That's enough."

Wendy bit back a sigh. Perhaps she could be a mother to the boys. But who would be a mother to her?

"I'll think about it."

Peter beamed. "Good. Now, how about we go catch up with the boys?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is all I've written so far, not sure how popular it'll prove. I'm currently working on this and two other story ideas (a Sherlock & Twilight fic if anyone's interested) and I also have one uncompleted series to continue (Marvel/X-Men cross). Hopefully I'll update as much as I can, promise. Hope you've enjoyed what I've done so far, if so please leave kudos or comments :)


	3. Threats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy realises what lengths Peter will go to to keep her on the island

Wendy had become exhausted with the boys games within a few hours so they left her to go hunting, taking Peter with them after she assured him she would not wander beyond the camp.

It was a relief to be apart from him. Though Wendy was far too fond of Peter for her own good, after everything he had said she needed to be alone.

How could she stay? Her family needed her? And she could not allow Peter to bring her brothers here. She saw the Lost Boys. _Really_ saw them. They were savage, mindless. Her brothers had promise, she could not let that be squandered. She needed to protect them.

And if Wendy refused to stay in Neverland she knew that Peter would likely take them. He was not beyond punishing her like that. Though he would certainly pretend he took them all for the purpose of making her happy.

Wendy had become so engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn't realise she was still walking until she had surpassed the boundaries of the camp. She knew the way back however, and turned to walk there when a hand landed firmly on her arm.

Sighing, expecting to find Pan behind her, she was shocked to find herself surrounded by three pirates who grinned down menacingly over her before her vision was blocked as a sack was forced over her head.

"Stay quiet now love. I'd hate for there to be any accidents." One pirate said menacingly, something sharp, perhaps a knife, being pressed to her back. "Let's get going."

Why they put the bag over her head Wendy had no idea. Peter had flown her over the pirate ship on multiple occasions, it was no secret where it was. Perhaps it was to scare her, or perhaps they were not taking her to the pirate ship at all.

She was proved right with that thought when she felt her feet sink into the hot sand, the bag pulled back, momentarily blinding Wendy with the light of the sun.

"Now then." One of the pirates said, "Sit right there and don't make any trouble." He pushed her down on to a rock, the pirate with the knife sitting beside her.

"Peter will come for me." Wendy said confidently, trying not to cringe as the pirate who was apparently in charge sneered at her.

"Oh we're counting on it."

"He'll kill you all." Wendy said fearfully. Although the pirates had taken her she did not want their lives on her hands.

The pirates did not respond, instead they stood on guard, twitching restlessly as the sun passed overhead while the hours ticked by.

Peter must have realised she was gone by now. Perhaps he was putting the Lost Boys into position or talking to the mermaids. Not once did Wendy think he would not come for her. She knew he would.

" _Where is he_?" One of the pirates asked fearfully. They had not spoken since they arrived at the beach, and he was twisting his hands together as he scanned the sky.

The pirates turned as a branch snapped along the edge of the jungle. Twilight was stealing over them and the darkness clearly unnerved them.

"Get ready lads." The leader said, drawing his sword.

Something moved on the horizon and they now turned to the sea. The large pirate ship was moving steadily into their view, coming to a stop in their line of sight berthed far from shore. Did the pirates plan to take her aboard?

Instinct told Wendy not to move and she held on to that instinct as a burning arrow shot from the jungle into the wooden skiff the pirates had left on the beach, setting it ablaze. The pirates ran to it, throwing sand over it but they abandoned their efforts when the Lost Boys could clearly be held calling only a few feet away, hidden by the trees.

They called it their war cry. Wendy had only ever heard it around the bonfire when they danced to Peter's music. In the darkness it sounded more menacing than it did in the camp. Although the burning skiff provided light it seemed to do little in the thick darkness encompassing them. It may have been her imagination but to Wendy even the stars seemed to shine dimmer than normal.

The pirates were truly panicked now. The Lost Boys were not showing themselves and the wait increased their fear by the second. They screamed as Peter landed on the sand before her. He stood with his back to her, shielding her from the pirates.

"What a pity." Peter drawled looking at their boat. "I guess you'll have to swim back to your ship. Unless you'd rather go into the jungle?"

One of the men immediately detached from the group, plunging into the water, diving into it once it was deep enough. His green scarf made him visible in the water. He only lasted a few mere seconds until the mermaids dragged him down screaming to his watery grave.

"Think you're fast enough?" Peter said menacingly.

The leader, perhaps hoping the mermaids would be preoccupied killing his associate, took to the water. He made it only slightly further before he too was killed. To Wendy it seemed slower, the mermaids allowing him to resurface a few times before he was pulled down one final time, the water turning his screams into a gurgle that turned into silence.

I leant to the side, looking around Peter's body at the final pirate who held a knife in shaking hands. He met my eyes, decision warring in them.

Quickly I stood up and placed my hand on Peter's arm.

"Peter, please. They didn't hurt me. They just want to go home."

He didn't turn or acknowledge my words, just continued to stare down the pirate.

The pirate, whose name Wendy would never know dropped the knife from his hand and walked slowly towards the jungle.

"Should've listened to you miss." He called out as he walked, his arms hung dejectedly at his sides accepting his death even before it was upon him.

No sounds came from the jungle but I knew the Lost Boys would have cut him down where he stood. As he didn't cry out I hoped his death was quick. That seemed to be the only mercy Peter would allow him.

"Let's return to camp Wendy." Peter said, finally turning to her.

Wendy kept her eyes on the jungle but surrendered to Pan as he scooped her up in his arms and flew them away.

She did not meet Peter's eyes until the light of the camp was in view but when she did she saw he was giving her a look of such frightening intensity that Wendy prayed then for a moment, a chance of any kind, to escape him. At the same time, the same look told her that he would never let her go.


	4. Decisions

Wendy was able to keep herself to her tree house for the most part and when it was necessary to spend time with Peter she made sure to ask to do things that would include the Lost Boys.

Peter was no fool though and as the days went by his gaze grew more and more suspicious.

As she prepared for bed, four days by her count after the incident with the pirates, Peter showed up in her doorway.

"Wendy."

"Peter." She answered evenly, trying to hide her displeasure at the two of them being together alone. "Have you come to say goodnight?"

She turned her back and continued to fold some blankets she had washed that afternoon, partly so she could hide her face from him and partly so he wouldn't see her hands shake.

"No."

"Oh. Then what can I do for you tonight Peter?"

"Not much." He answered in an equally pleasant tone. She could hear him shut the door to her house and walk over to her. "Can I help you?"

She met his eye and smiled. "No thank you. I'm nearly finished. I was just about to go to bed."

"I won't be here long." He promised.

"Alright." Wendy said and finished her folding. She then immediately crossed to her dresser to brush her hair, well aware that Peter was watching her every step.

"I'll take you back home tomorrow." Peter said carefully.

"Is it time already?" She asked, knowing that there was no way he could mean that she would be returning permanently.

"I'll collect you at night fall."

"Won't it be the shadow taking me?" Wendy asked, still not turning to face Peter.

"It's my shadow." Peter replied irritably. "You can bring your brothers tomorrow."

That made her turn around.

"What?"

"I know you miss your family, so you can bring your brothers and then you'll never have any need to return to London again."

"What about my parents?" Her voice was getting shrill at the picture Pan was painting.

"What about them? There are no need of parents in Neverland Wendy. You know that."

"No."

"No?" Peter questioned, raising a brow. It was a word Wendy was coming to realise he was unfamiliar with on Neverland.

"I don't want my brothers here."

"Oh." Peter said, taken aback. "I was under the impression you cared for them?"

"Cared?" Wendy replied, taking a step back into her dresser. "I love them Peter. I love every member of my family."

Peter rolled your eyes. "You don't need parents Wendy."

"You might not think that I need them Peter, but understand that I want them." She argued. "And I won't keep coming to see you if you keep threatening to break my family apart."

Peter looked livid. "You won't come here? You think I will give you a choice? You will come back to Neverland Wendy because you are mine!"

She blinked at his words.

Peter obviously caught himself and softened his face, taking a step toward her, ignoring how she flinched.

" _Wendy_." He cooed. "The Lost Boys are your family. You love them don't you?"

"Well..."

"And you don't want to never see them again do you Wendy?"

"Peter..."

"Enough!" He roared. "You, who I have given everything!"

"I never asked you for anything Peter." Wendy whispered. "But I am now."

"And what does Wendy bird want?" He snapped back at her.

"I want to go home Peter." She looked him in the eye and gripped the edge of the dresser behind her. "I want to leave Neverland and never come back."

His face twisted with fury but he didn't speak.

"I'm sorry Peter." Wendy implored, scared at what he may do. This was the moment she had been avoiding for days but she knew that she could never leave unless Peter permitted her. "But I want to go home." She was on the brink of tears.

"Fine." He finally answered calmly, watching the tears that had eventually ran down her face. "You can go home and I will never bring you back."

"Oh, thank you..."

"However." He interrupted her. Her stomach dropped. Of course he wouldn't just let her go. "Tonight my shadow will come to your house for your brothers. Boys are more preferable than girls anyway."

" _Peter_ , no." She cried.

Her door banged open and the shadow swooped in.

"Please, don't do this to them. I'll do anything, just don't take them!"

The shadow snatched her up.

"You've made your decision Wendy and I've made mine." Peter said calmly. He turned his back on her as the shadow swept her out of the house and up towards London to where Bae was nervously waiting at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the end of this chapter is just before the scene in OUAT when Wendy arrives back home to Bae and they hatch the whole plan to keep her brothers safe, then Bae gets captured instead.


	5. Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy knows what she must do to save Bae.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is short, I just wanted to tide you all over with something until I could write more. I'm going to keep writing up until the point where Peter puts Wendy in the cage then it'll be over into the actual TV show. In my mind though Peter isn't Rumple's father, I just find that too creepy.

As soon as Baelfire was taken by the shadow, Wendy and her brothers were quick to try to think of a plan to get him back.

They told their parents Bae had heard news about his father and had left to try and find him. It would leave room for him to return once they saved him from Pan.

Next was the difficult part. Lying to her brothers.

"I think Peter will realise he's being petty and will return Bae by the end of the week." She told them calmly as she tucked her brothers into bed. "His shadow, or Peter himself, will turn up at our window any day now."

"Wendy," John huffed, throwing his covers off. "We should call for the shadow now. Who knows what Pan is doing to Bae while we just _sit_ here."

Michael wiggled out of his covers as well, his teddy bear held firmly in hand. "Let's call the shadow."

"No." Wendy said firmly, pushing Michael back in bed and tightly wrapping him in his blankets, being sure to tuck teddy by his side. "If we go now Pan will see how desperate we are and will demand something in return. We wait. He will think we don't care and will be more willing to return Bae to us of his own accord."

"What could _Pan_ even _want_?" John sighed, allowing Wendy to put him back to bed and accepting a kiss on the forehead.

"I don't know John." Wendy lied. "But, if Peter does not see reason by the end of the week I'm afraid we will have to find out."

Switching the light off she went over to her bed, being sure to let her fingers wander over the lights, her bedside table and her sheets as she settled into bed, knowing this would be the last night she would ever spend there, possibly ever.

She never slept, waiting, listening to the sounds of the clock downstairs chiming until she knew it would be late enough that no one would hear her summon the shadow.

By midnight she knew her parents had retired to bed and her brothers would be in a deep sleep.

Slipping out of her sheets she crept over to the open window and set two letters she had written that afternoon on the dresser. One for her brothers explaining that she was going to exchange herself for Bae, and another for her parents telling them that she had run away to follow Bae. When Bae returned he could say she never found him. It would be painful for her parents, never knowing what had happened to her but at least they would have Bae, John and Michael to take care of them.

Stepping onto the ledge, she glanced back at her room, willing herself to memorise every last detail.

"Shadow. Take me to Neverland." She whispered at last. In the time it took for the shadow to appear she looked over the London skyline, and wished this moment would never end. She wanted Bae but a part of her wished the shadow wouldn't come for her anymore.

But Peter wanted her. He must have told the shadow to expect her call.

It soon came sweeping across the night sky and landed beside her. Even though it had no face she could tell it was smug as it offered her its hand. How she wished she could turn it away. If only she had not angered Peter. If only she had never been to Neverland at all.

She accepted its hand and it quickly snatched her and set off at once. Glancing over its shoulder she took in the last glimpse of her home and tried not to cry for the rest of the journey. She would need all of her courage for when she faced Pan again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, leave feedback!!


	6. Accusations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy returns to Neverland.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've already started on the next chapter, unless anything comes up I should hopefully post it tomorrow.

Wendy expected the shadow to deposit her at Pan's feet but instead it left her on a cliff edge, miles away from the camp. She expected it was a mind game of sort, but all she could think of was whether Pan would agree to trade her for Bae.

She knew Pan could turn the forest into a maze, he could leave her to die out in the forest. But he wouldn't, she was confident of this. He might try to hurt her, but he would never let her die.

Entering the forest the trees clustered unnaturally, blocking out the sunlight. Shadows flickered around her but she marched on regardless, so sure in the knowledge that she would be safe. It was just Peter trying to unnerve her.

 _Pan_. She corrected herself. He was holding Bae ransom, she would never call him Peter again. He'd lost that with his cruel tricks.

The skin at the back of her neck prickled and she grew aware that she was being watched. If it was Peter, _Pan_ , he would have come out by now and made a big show of her return. Whoever was watching her stayed in the shadows, never emerging, probably a Lost Boy sent to watch her and make sure she didn't have any plans.

What plan could she make against Pan? She could only follow the rules he had laid out for her.

"Why don't you walk with me?" Wendy mused aloud. "I'm not in the mood for games."

Felix soon fell in step beside her.

"You took longer than Pan expected." He stated.

"Well I'm sorry to have kept him." Wendy replied stonily.

"I don't see why you're so angry." Felix smiled. "He's gone to such lengths to keep you."

"Some of us don't want to be kept." She sighed. "I don't understand why anyone would want to stay here."

"It's a paradise for children."

"It's a lie, Felix. Don't try to tell me otherwise, I won't be fooled."

"We don't have to do as we're told. We don't have parents bossing us around." He continued.

"No, we just have Pan playing God."

"Your attitude isn't going to make this any easier."

"I have no influence on what's going to happen, this is Pan's game, not mine." She stopped suddenly and turned to Felix. "You really think if I agree to stay he'll leave my family alone?"

"Wendy." Felix admonished, as they continued to walk. "You're lucky to be rid of them. They just hold you back. If you didn't care so much you wouldn't even be in this situation."

"No, I'd just stand aside and watch him destroy my brothers lives."

"You do over exaggerate."

"You're delusional." Wendy bit back.

"You go ahead from here." Felix said, coming to a stop. "Peter's waiting for you at your house."

"It's not mine." Wendy replied. "Goodbye Felix."

"See you soon Wendy."

She held back a shudder as she left him behind. Passing by the camp she saw it was deserted and continued onto the tree house.

It took all her remaining courage not to flee at the sight of the house she first thought was so pretty. Now the darkness inside of it made the windows look like resenting eyes. It wasn't a natural darkness, it was Pan's feelings pulsing inside.

Placing her feet on the steps she climbed up, finding the trapdoor open.

Pan sat in a chair, his back to her, facing out of the window. He didn't turn as Wendy closed the door behind her, he just sat, waiting for her to make the first move.

"Where's Bae?" Wendy demanded.

"I let him go as soon as you arrived." Peter replied.

Wendy bit back a sob. She'd never see him again now. The memory of the shadow snatching him away would be the last one she ever had of him.

She went to sit on the bed, the exhaustion of staying up all night suddenly catching up with her now she knew that she had achieved in securing Bae his freedom. A silence stole over them again.

"Pan?" She eventually said, her voice sounding hoarse to her own ears.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to say something?"

His silence made her nervous. He hadn't turned to face her yet and it only served to increase her dread for what he might have in store for her.

"You'll stay in this house." He answered. "You'll only leave if I give you permission and you will never go anywhere alone."

"For how long?" Wendy said resigned to her imprisonment.

"Until I think you are sorry for what you have done."

"For what _I_ have done?" Anger roused her and she stood back up.

"You left the Boys. They needed you and you left them."

"I returned to _my_ family."

" _We_ were your family." Pan snapped back.

"No, you all ran around playing your games while I cleaned up after you all. I have never been a child on this island. Being on this island is the closest I've ever come to being an adult in my life!"

Pan jumped up, knocking the chair over.

"Then why didn't you stay at home!"

"I came for Bae." Wendy yelled back.

"Why?"

"Because I love him." She cried, cringing at the silence that immediately fell.

In the silence Pan's face turned from surprise to boiling rage until an eerie calm took him over. Fearing what he was thinking Wendy was quick to clarify. "I love him as much as either of my brothers. I would do anything for the three of them."

"You love your family." He said. It was rhetorical but Wendy was quick to agree.

"I do. I love my parents and my brothers."

"And your family here?"

She gulped. "I have no family here. Not anymore."

"Not now Bae is gone?" Pan clarified.

"Not now I know what you truly are."

"And what am I?" He smirked.

"You're a monster."

"A monster you loved."

"I never loved you." Wendy said, her words rushing out fearfully. "I think I could have. Before I realised..."

He frowned. "You called me Pan."

"Peter was my friend."

"It doesn't have to be like this Wendy." Pan almost implored, coming closer to her and seizing her hand. "You're here now. Forget your family. You can do whatever you want here, I'll give you anything. We'll be young forever. I'll take you to see the fairies and the mermaids. We can have adventures and play games."

"I'm here now, because you kidnapped Bae." Wendy said stonily. "And unlike the Boys I'm not going to forget life off this island. And I am _never_ going to forget how often you have threatened my family in order to get _your_ way." She snatched her hand away. "I will never forgive you Pan. I will never be your friend and there is no way that I will ever love you.

"You don't want me to leave? Fine. I will stay right here, in this house. But I have no illusions that I am anything more than your prisoner. I'll stay in this house, and the less I see of you or your boys the happier I'll be." Wendy finished waspishly.

Pan's face descended into fury once again but she ignored him. Turning to the bed she lifted the covers and buried herself in them, keeping her back firmly turned on Pan who she never heard leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter, let me know what you think! I'm torn between wanting to be faithful to OUAT and just fill in the gaps between Wendy's first visit to Neverland and being locked up, and another part of me that remembers the book and films that wants them to Peter & Wendy.


	7. Agreements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter confronts Wendy.

Wendy was true to her word, and no incentive could get her away from the house. A boy, usually Felix, would bring her some food but she would always refuse to speak to them.

The first time Pan came back she refused to look at him, never paying attention to what he said until he slammed the door in his anger.

It took two weeks before he was calm enough to try again.

Wendy was eating less, needing less energy as she was confined to the tree house. Felix had expressed concern earlier in the day and had offered to walk with her through the woods so she could get some fresh air and move around. She had looked at him stonily until he sighed and gave up.

When Pan barged in demanding she go outside she burst into hysterical tears and hit him every time he tried to scoop her up in his arms. He soon fled the display of 'girly emotion'.

The third time he came in he found her sat in a chair looking around the room with what could only be described as a look of intense loathing.

He stood there for at least two minutes waiting for Wendy to react in any way before storming across the room to her and snatching her shoulders, shaking her to try and provoke any reaction.

"Wendy, will you snap out of it and say something to me!"

She pushed him back. "I hate you."

"Well that's a start." He smirked. His eyes flashed and Wendy couldn't respond quickly enough as he caught her up in his arms and dragged her from the house, ignoring her poorly aimed kicks. Once he pulled her off the steps he kicked off and brought them both into the air.

Instinctively Wendy suddenly clutched herself to Pan, always afraid that she would somehow fall. She flushed as she realised that was his plan as his smirk only grew.

"Hold on tight Wendy bird." He chuckled as they started to fly along. Neither said anything to the other as Pan flew them off the island and onto a smaller piece of land, just within sight of the coast. The waves crashed over the sides but they were sheltered in the middle. As their feet touched the floor, Wendy quickly wriggled out of Pan's arms and put space between them.

Pan, looking unconcerned, flopped down on the ground, his arms outstretched as he basked in the warm sunlight. The ocean breeze made a refreshing change from the humidity of the jungle, but despite the part of her longing to make the most of the change of scenery, Wendy stood firm keeping her eyes on the horizon.

"Wendy." Pan eventually cooed. "Come sit down." He patted the earth beside him.

Wendy sat where she stood.

"Well I guess this is progress."

"Why did you bring me here Pan?"

"Wow, I'm getting two whole sentences today? I must be the luckiest boy to ever live."

"Why, Pan?"

"I thought," he started, sitting up to look at her, "that we could discuss changing the terms of our arrangement."

"What, the arrangement where I stay here in exchange for the safety of my family?"

"I would never hurt your family, Wendy." Pan answered patiently.

"You've torn us apart, you think that isn't hurting anyone!"

"Wendy." He said evenly, waiting for her to calm down before continuing. Her tightened fists dropped and she sighed as she met his eye for the first time in over a month. "There, we can be civil can't we?"

"What do you want now?"

He pursed his lips. "Well, let's see. From now on I want you to resume calling me Peter..."

Wendy scoffed, cutting him off. "You've agreed to leave my family alone in exchange for me staying here, what else could you humanly have to bargain with?"

"I agreed to let Baelfire go in exchange for you, I never promised your family's safety." He swiftly corrected, smirking as Wendy gulped. "Let's continue shall we? Now, let's see, I want you to start eating regularly, go outside at least once a day and start interacting with the Boys again."

"In exchange for what?" Wendy demanded.

"Everything I've said is for your own good, it's not healthy to stay inside all of the time, not eating."

"So you want me to do this for absolutely nothing in return?"

Pan sighed. "You can go outside without anyone escorting you. The pirates are away on a job at the moment and we're currently not fighting with the tribe, so I see no reason you can't go around the island on your own."

"You said you'd only let me out alone if you thought I was sorry. I'm not sorry for leaving, Pan."

He glared at her. "Even though it led to Baelfire being taken away from you?"

"Bae was taken from me because of _you_ , not me."

"I wouldn't have to had to take him if you had stayed here like I wanted!" Pan jumped up to his feet.

"You're like an impetuous child Pan. Don't you realise that not everyone has to do what you say? And that not everyone wants to follow you?" Wendy spat, looking up at him.

"I have given you more than anyone else on this island!"

"I never _asked_ for you to give me anything. The only thing I ever wanted was to keep my family safe!"

"Then why did you come here?"

"Because your shadow came for me! You _lied to me_. You _promised_ me that Neverland was a wonderful place, that I would be _happy_ here, but I've never been more miserable in my life!"

"You are only miserable because you refuse to forget your family."

"I don't want to forget them!"

"You're never leaving, you're just making yourself unhappy. We can do anything here Wendy, but you just sit in that house!"

"Instead of what? Running around the island, trying to delude myself that I'm anything other than your prisoner! You might have the Boys under your control Pan, but you can't fool me with your games anymore!"

"I'm not playing games with you Wendy." Pan said darkly.

"No, you've already won this game, now you're just disappointed with the result!"

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"I think you've enjoyed trapping me here but now you have me you're disappointed that I'm trapped."

"Maybe I like having my Wendy bird in a cage."

"Or maybe you realise that I'm not the kind of person to be locked up. Maybe you're bored now."

He stormed over to her and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her up. "Why can't you just do what I want you to do?"

"Because I'm a human being not a toy!" Wendy cried.

"Fine, what _do_ you want Wendy?" Pan snapped back.

"To go..."

He cut her off. " _Apart_ from going home." He looked at her seriously, tilting her head up with his hand to examine her eyes. "What do you want Wendy bird?"

"I want you to stop playing games with me."

"But games are fun."

"Not when you're playing with my life Pan. Not when you constantly tell me lies and threatening my family."

Pan exhaled sharply.

"I'll go outside. And I'll eat. And I'll talk to the Boys. But if you want me to call you Peter again I need to believe that you are sorry for how _you_ have treated _me_." She pushed his hands off her shoulders and held out her arms. "Now you can take me back to the house, I think I've had plenty of fresh air for today."

Pan pulled her to him and they set off, quickly flying back to her tree house. He said nothing, and as soon as he deposited her in the clearing by the stairs he flew away.

It wasn't until Wendy had climbed the stairs and shut the door behind her that she allowed herself a triumphant smile. She had finally figured out how she could get back at Pan. By hurting the one thing he seemed to care about. Herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this. I'm really trying to finish this story off so I can focus on my dissertation without leaving my readers waiting for an update, but the more I write the more ideas I get and the longer this thing keeps getting :D
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	8. Schemes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy puts a plan into action.

Wendy followed her word. She ate three meals a day. She went on hour long walks around the jungle and sometimes the coast line, either by herself or sometimes with Felix walking quietly beside her. On her way back to the house she would stop by the camp, brush the hair out of the faces of the younger boys and occasionally tell them a story. But she was careful in her movements, to still convey a sadness.

On her walks she would pause often, sighing at her surroundings. When Felix talked to her she would limit the conversation to the weather or pleasantries about his day. She never talked of her feelings but her long spells of silence spoke volumes to the boys around her. Wendy never lingered in the camp any longer than she had to to meet Pan's requirements, and she would never invite any of the Lost Boys to play. She did not act like their mother, although no one could fault her behaviour, she was always perfectly cordial.

Pan kept a close eye on her, regarding her mood with a mixture of disdain and concern. He was beginning to feel less and less like he had won a game and felt something increasingly akin to guilt, although it couldn't be as Pan never felt guilt for anything.

Wendy had already begun to lose count of the days. She knew time went slower on Neverland than back home, so however long she'd been on the island she was unsure how long she had been gone from home. At least Bae would be there now, she would always reassure herself. He would take care of her parents and brothers and help them to deal with their loss.

When she felt a long enough time had passed, so Pan could see her mood had not changed by following his 'healthy' stipulations, she decided to put her plan into action and headed out on her morning walk. Pan was planning on getting some new boys for the island, so both he and Felix would be occupied. But the shadow would still be watching her.

Ever since she had been taken by the pirates, what felt increasingly to Wendy like another lifetime ago, she knew that Pan wouldn't let anything happen to her. She wouldn't call it love, she didn't think he was really capable of the emotion. But she thought that whatever Pan felt for her was as close to love as he could get.

Unfortunately the feeling just made him more possessive.

But it opened up a new possibility to her. Wendy loved her family. She had given up her freedom because she loved her family and she wanted them safe. If Pan loved her, as much as _he_ could, then it stood to reason that in order to keep her safe he would do something for her.

Wendy weaved through the jungle, being sure to pass the camp. A few of the Lost Boys called out to her but she kept walking, pretending she couldn't hear them. Usually she would have stopped or at least called out a greeting, but she moved quickly in keeping with her plan.

Further and further she marched through the jungle, wondering if Pan had heard about her strange behaviour from one of the Lost Boys yet. She wondered if the shadow was watching her. For once she hoped it was or her plan could cost her her life.

She smelled the salt before she could hear the waves. The air already started to cool as she approached the shore but she did not stop, instead she began to climb along the path that would take her up onto the cliffs.

Wendy had chosen one of the highest cliffs on the island. On her walks she had spent most of her time thinking of her plan and scouting for the right location. Pan had never seen or heard that she had gone up here before, she had only looked at it from the shore. Perhaps he would think she was just going on a different route, looking for a nice view. Maybe he wasn't watching at all. Maybe it was hope that had made Wendy believe that Pan loved her. Maybe he had kept her because there was something he needed her for. It wouldn't be unlike him, to acquire something for a purpose not because he had any personal attachment.

When she reached the top she headed immediately for the edge. It would be no good if Pan stopped her here. He needed to see how far she was willing to go to escape him and this island. She could not allow Pan to think she could ever change her mind and come to enjoy her stay here. He needed to understand that Wendy would not stay on Neverland willingly.

Raising herself onto her tiptoes, Wendy took a breath trying to reassure herself that the shadow would likely catch her. Just because Pan said she could walk alone didn't mean he would leave her unsupervised.

She flung herself over the edge, her eyes clenched shut, arms hanging passively by her sides.

The fall seemed to last a long time until she landed with an "oomph" in the shadows arms, and was then swept up back onto the cliff.

The shadow never left her, just prowled along the cliff edge to make it clear she would not get a second chance to jump. She tried to keep any relief off her face. She didn't need anyone to know her plan.

She flopped onto the floor passively, and waited.

Wendy was surprised when, instead of swooping down in front of her, Pan came running up the same path she had used earlier, looking as though he had run a considerable distance. Pan never ran unless he was chasing something. Why didn't he fly?

"Wendy!" He cried out. "What happened?"

She turned her head from him and sombrely looked out over the cliffs. The waves were crashing stronger against the cliffs now.

Pan crossed past her to his shadow with whom he quietly communicated before striding back to her.

"Why did you jump off these cliffs Wendy? You could have died if the shadow hadn't caught you."

"I know." Wendy whispered, her plan slipping to the back of her mind in Pan's presence. On her own she felt so clever, but beside him she wondered how she could ever compete with his games.

"Then why did you jump?"

She met his eyes. "Because I don't want to be here anymore."

His face flinched into momentary anger before he smoothed it out. "Jumping won't get you home, it gets you killed."

"I know that."

It might have been her imagination but for a moment Pan looked scared.

"Why didn't you fly here?" She asked.

He flinched again. "Enough. You're going back to your house." He pulled her up by the arm and dragged her down the path, scowling every time she lost her footing and stumbled against him.

"Why are we walking back?" Wendy asked, undeterred.

"I told you, you need to get out more." Pan growled back, as they entered the jungle.

"I've been for a very long walk today already." Wendy responded. Pan always used flying as a way to get close to her, to violate her personal space, knowing how it grated on the morals she had been raised with.

"Well you're walking further."

They didn't stop at the camp, circling around it. When they reached the tree house Pan pushed her towards the stairs. "Go inside. You are not to leave until I tell you to." He threatened before marching off.

Doing as Pan told her, Wendy went up the steps. Leaving the trapdoor open, she went and sat on the chair by the window, waiting for Pan's return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably only 2 or 3 more chapters until the end now!


	9. Entrapment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pan discovers Wendy's plan.

The slamming of the trapdoor marked Pan's arrival.

"You're trying to trick me." He accused, marching over to her.

"What?" Wendy said, looking away from the window to meet his stern gaze.

"You think that I'll let you go home."

"What are you talking about, Pan?" Wendy said sleepily. She had wanted to sleep hours ago but knew Pan would eventually return.

"You think you can make me feel guilty for bringing you here with your little stunt. And that I'll let you go home because of it."

"You can't feel guilty." Wendy insisted, trying to keep her face calm. "You would have to be capable of emotion to feel guilty." She had hoped Pan would not figure out her plan, that he was so removed from his own feelings that he wouldn't recognise the guilt. That he would just see her as trouble and send her away. At least part of her plan had worked. He knew now that there wasn't anything he could say or do to convince her that she would ever want to be in Neverland.

"I don't feel guilty!" He shouted. "I needed boys, I took Baelfire. You wanted him back, I traded him for you!"

"You didn't need boys." Wendy accused. "You took him to get back at me for leaving." Any thoughts of sleep vanished as her blood began to boil. Why could he never accept that he was wrong. How could his mind never fail to twist events to fit his own desires.

"You think I cared that you left?"

"You're the one who asked me to stay!" Wendy screamed, jumping up. "You built me this house. And you couldn't stand that I didn't want any of it."

"I don't care!" Pan insisted. "You're here now and you're never leaving."

"I'll die before I accept that." Wendy snapped.

"I don't care about you Wendy!" Pan bellowed. "And you are not dying, you'll be on this island until I decide otherwise."

"What use could you humanly need me for?"

"I don't need you." Pan said coldly. "I told you I need boys. In a few years when your brothers are older they'll enter my service in exchange for your life. They'll carry out any work I need in your realm and when I feel they have earned it, they can have you back."

Wendy bit her lip to hold back a cry. She wasn't sure whether to scream that she had failed to protect her brothers from Pan or laugh at the idea that one day, maybe, Pan would free her.

"I don't believe you." What was she thinking, he would never free her willingly.

"I don't need you." Pan replied, crossing over to the window to stare out over the jungle.

"No you don't. But you're not going to let me go."

Pan scoffed. "And why would you think that?"

"Because you want me." Wendy said simply. She knew it was the truth. It was the only way that any of this made sense. Why he would go to such lengths to make her want to stay. Why he refused to just let her go.

"I don't." He said, sounding like he was talking through clenched teeth.

"You could use any of the Boys to work for you in my world. You can send your shadow and make him look like anyone. You don't need my brothers, so keeping me here for blackmail is a ridiculous lie. I am here because you don't want me to leave."

Pan spun around. "Why you I want _you_?" She wasn't sure whether he was asking her or himself.

Wendy shrugged, suppressing a sudden urge to laugh. "I honestly don't know." She went to sit back in the chair.

"You can't make me feel guilty because I don't care about you." Pan said plainly, like he was trying to convince himself it was true.

"Why are you so afraid?" Wendy asked, sparing a glance at his tense stance.

"I am not afraid."

"Yes you are." Wendy insisted, sitting straighter in her chair as she looked at his face. A sudden idea popped into her head.

Standing up she moved closer to him and laid a hand on his arm. "Peter. I saw your face when you got to the cliff. You were scared. Is that why you couldn't fly?"

"I told you we walked back because you needed to air."

Wendy laughed. "When did you become such a bad liar? Or are you having trouble because you're lying to me?"

"Enough!" Pan yelled. "I do not care about your life and I never will. And I will prove it." He grabbed a fistful of her nightgown and dragged her towards the trapdoor.

"Peter." Wendy said tiredly. "Where are we going? It's late."

He didn't respond, but continued to drag her out of the house and into the forest. Wendy stumbled against him the whole walk, her tired feet finding it difficult to keep up with Pan's angry march. It wasn't until they reached a clearing with boxes suspended from the trees that Wendy realised her plan had horribly backfired.

Stepping out of the trees into the small clearing a new cage materialised on the ground, ready to be hoisted up to join all the other prisoners of the island. This was the place where pirates and misbehaving Lost Boys were sent to when Pan wanted to play with his toys rather than killing them outright.

"Peter, what are you doing?" Wendy asked, trying to keep the terror out of her voice. The tree house was already her prison cell but at least she had room to move and a comfortable bed to sleep in.

"Proving that you mean nothing to me." Pan growled, pushing her forwards. Wendy struggled to keep her body outside of the cage, but Pan was stronger and she was soon trapped inside, Pan's body blocking the door which he would soon close on her.

"I will not allow you to manipulate me. I don't care about you and I am not keeping you near me so you can try to poison me."

"Poison you with what?" Wendy said shrilly. "Love? Trust me Pan. The last thing I would ever curse upon myself is your love."

"I do not love. Goodbye Wendy bird." Pan smirked as he slammed the door shut and began to hoist her cage high amongst the trees. As the moans of the boys and men amongst her began to grow clearer the closer she got to them, all Wendy could do was pray Pan would soon miss her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I have reached the point I was writing towards, Wendy is now in the cage like she is when OUAT picks up the storyline. Obviously Pan doesn't let her out, uses her brothers to carry out his work on Earth and Wendy is only freed after Neal, Emma & Co. free her. I may write one more chapter about after she escapes Neverland.


	10. Familiarity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy is freed from Neverland at last but is not yet free of Peter Pan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so some of you may be disappointed that I have jumped from Wendy being imprisoned to her travelling to Storybrooke. Sorry. One day I might write a separate story about the hundred years between her being taken captive and being freed but I have a dissertation to write and I want to finish off as many of my multiple chapter stories as I can so I can focus on it more without feeling guilty that I never update my stories!

Disembarking off Captain Hook's ship Wendy was soon swept into the arms of her brothers. She took them both in her arms gently, feeling somewhat removed from the whole experience when Bae joined them and asked what their plans were. She was finally free from Neverland. She would never go back again, everyone who had rescued her promised her as much. Pan was defeated and she would never have to worry about being taken from her family again. They would all go to London and live out the rest of their lives however they wanted.

However Pan was not dead yet. And Wendy knew it was only his death that would ever keep him away from her.

During her captivity, after Pan had put her in the cage, she had been alone with her own thoughts for so many years. She would be let down once a day to stretch her legs, but it was usually Felix who would see to her, rarely Pan. Only when he needed something, if a Boy missed his mother or most recently to play the part of 'Wendy' to Henry.

She was shocked by the stories her rescuers told her on the voyage to Storybooke. The stories about 'Peter Pan and Wendy'. How far removed they were from the truth. If her life had even been a small fraction alike to their stories it might have been a more pleasant experience.

Captain Hook, one of the few people from the ship she had known before sat with her regularly. He too knew of her confusion, having not come under Regina's curse.

"There is this peculiar food they have in their land, they call Jell-O. You'd be best advised to avoid it."

"Alright." She had replied nervously as he listed the many things she would encounter that would be foreign to her time.

"Try not to get run over by cars. They are like horse and carriages except they require no horse and go considerably faster. And take it from experience," he touched his ribs, "getting hit by one is very unpleasant."

Wendy interacted most with the Captain and Baelfire, or Neal as everyone now called him. She was saddened to learn that he never returned to her family as it meant that her parents never found out where either of them had gone. They had both disappeared and they would never know that they were both safe now, soon to be returned to her brothers.

Yet another lie Pan had told her over the years.

"He said I had another purpose, that's why he didn't let me return to your family." Bae told her. "I guess we know now that he needed me to come to this realm so Henry would be born. The heart of the truest believer."

Wendy smiled. "It seems so strange to me that you have a son. He's the same age as you were when I last saw you."

Bae laughed. "It was all a bit of a shock to me too. I only found out he existed a few months ago."

Wendy frequently had to compete for time with Hook and Bae, as they both spent as much time in the presence of Emma as they were able to. Henry too was conspicuously absent, preferring to spend most of his time with his family or alone in his sleeping quarters which Wendy supposed was natural after their separation.

On the rare occasions she could find no one else to talk to Wendy ventured to where most of the Lost Boys were staying. Hook had reluctantly allowed most of them to stay in sleeping bunks however he insisted on keeping Felix in the brig. Past experience taught them both that nothing they could say or do would challenge Felix's loyalty to Pan in any way. He would stay loyal to him to the end.

During one particular argument on the subject of Felix's accommodations, Snow White and Prince Charming had appealed to Hook that Felix deserved another chance.

"Another chance?" Hook had sneered. "He was Pan's most loyal servant. Do you have any idea what that child has done?"

Snow White seized on the term child. "He's just a child Hook, he will grow up in Storybrooke, he will realise everything he did wrong. We need to start getting him on our side now, show him that we are the good people here."

Baelfire interrupted. "Your time on Neverland was limited Mary Margaret. You don't know these people like we do." He gestured to Hook and Wendy. "Please take our advice."

"I just think we need to show him some good faith. Reach out to him." Snow White insisted.

"I asked him to help me escape more than once." Wendy spoke up, surprising the crowd who oftentimes forgot she was there. Henry looked over to her. "He told me Pan's orders were to keep me there and that he would follow them. He said if Pan told him to kill me he would do it." She paused. "I was there longer than any of you."

"The boy stays in the brig." Hook said, ending the discussion. He guided Wendy over to the steer where Bae soon joined them.

"How long do you think it was?" Hook asked her. "I never did understand time there."

"I don't know." She replied honestly. "More than a lifetime. And much longer than a hundred years."

A hundred years, that's how long Bae told her it had been since the year they were taken.

"Not long now until we get to Storybrooke." Hook told her as she took her leave.

After that discussion the topic of Felix leaving the brig was never touched upon again.

She rarely saw him, except when she passed the cells, and his calmness unnerved her. Wendy knew he would be confident that Pan would succeed, after all he was his most loyal servant. Nevertheless, after spending so much time with people who believed Pan had been stopped, Felix was a jarring presence.

After their arrival in Storybrooke Wendy followed her brothers in a daze. Her brothers understood to an extent how much she had to process, and allowed her to sit contemplating everything while they talked to the townspeople who had congregated at an eating establishment.

Snow White had taken the time to find Wendy a change of clothes after she had finished greeting her people. It was strange to finally be out of her nightdress, but the modern day fashions were strange. Despite living in a magical jungle for well over a hundred years (although she allowed her brothers to believe she had been trapped in time for as long as they had, as they had forgotten how much slower time moved in Neverland) she had kept her Victorian morals and found herself constantly smoothing down the dress that scandalously fell just above her knee.

She stopped once she saw Henry laughing at her antics, guessing it was just another thing she would have to get used to.

When Wendy confided in Snow White about her feelings on modern attire, the princess had laughed at her confession and admitted that she tended to miss her long hair and wearing gowns.

"You'll get used to it eventually. And if the curse does hit us all, you'll never find it unusual again." She said reassuringly, though it only disconcerted Wendy more.

She didn't want to forget what had happened to her. She didn't want to ever take her freedom for granted. She wanted to savour every experience that came with growing up, so could be happy in the knowledge that in doing so she was spiting Pan.

"Hello Wendy." Henry said cheerfully, sitting opposite her, breaking her from her trance.

"Hello Henry." She replied, still not all there. She had spent so long alone that having people around to talk to was suddenly exhausting.

"How are you?" He asked, looking genuinely interested in her answer.

"Fine. Looking forward to going home." Wendy looked over at her brothers. "They say we don't have to sail between countries anymore. That there is some new kind of craft that can fly us there. It should be interesting."

"Well when the curse hits you should just appear at home. You might not have to fly at all." Henry responded with a smile that made the back of her neck prickle. Something about it looked all too familiar.

"Your grandmother said they were going to stop the curse." Wendy whispered.

"Well I've heard that Pan never fails." Henry said, still smiling. "Goodbye Wendy. See you soon." He hopped off his chair and exited the diner.

Her thoughts returned to the curse for a few minutes until her brothers came hurrying over.

"Wendy." John said, sitting opposite her. "Granny just got a call from Emma. Apparently Pan has taken over her son's body. They're making a plan to trap Pan so they can end the curse."

Now she knew why that smile was all too familiar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you didn't find the jumps in narrative too confusing. The previous chapters have been quite dialogue heavy but I figured after 100 years pretty much alone Wendy would be a lot more introspective so I wanted to capture her thoughts. I've already written the final chapter, just need to proof read it then I will post!


	11. Take Me Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wendy and her brothers leave Storybrooke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in my story Pan isn't Gold's son (because I just found that weird) but Gold still sacrifices himself to protect his family from the curse.

When the others came to her, telling Wendy that Pan had cast the dark curse by killing Felix she saw her brothers relax. They thought because Pan needed the heart of something he loved Wendy was safe, because Felix's heart had worked. If he loved Wendy he would have had to kill her for the curse to work. If he didn't love Wendy he might let them all go. They had convinced themselves over the years, as they had transitioned into adulthood, that the only reason Pan had taken Wendy was to blackmail them. But they were wrong.

Because unlike Wendy, they didn't realise the limitations of Pan's heart. That their feelings of love could never be achieved by someone like him. The ancient creature was housed in a child's body, and romantic love could only be felt to an extent. To the same extent that Pan would love the loyalty he had commanded from Felix. Felix's heart had worked just as well as Wendy's would have done. Perhaps Pan cared more for Felix on some level. Felix was his second in command. His most trusted servant. Someone he spent time with every day. The moment he had realised that Wendy held the power to manipulate him he had shut her off, limited their interactions, and oftentimes tried to convince himself she didn't exist while safe in the knowledge that she could never escape him if he so chose to grace her with his presence.

Wendy was reassured repeatedly that they had a plan to stop Pan. That their greatest concern now was the approaching curse. Her family, they believed, would be safe and would be transported back to England, forgetting everything that had transpired. Wendy didn't want to forget. She had gained a wisdom only her brothers could come close to understanding due to their extended lifespan. But she wanted peace for her brothers, who had been forced to stay the same age while unable to do anything their age should have enabled them to do.

They had been forced to move from their family home. Unable to work. Unable to stay in one place. Unable to love.

But they _had_ had each other. Each other's comfort and love while Wendy had been alone.

After the news that Pan had switched bodies with Henry, Wendy returned with her brothers to their hotel room so they could pack the few belongings they had been travelling with. Regina had told them that since they had never been cursed to Storybrooke like everyone else they should be able to leave and escape Pan's curse if they wanted, rather than risking what might happen to them under it.

Granny kindly packed them some food for their journey to the nearest city. Mr Gold had given them the name of a contact who would be able to make a _passport_ for Wendy so that they could travel to an _airport_ to get an _aeroplane_ back to England.

Wendy wanted to laugh sometimes at how out of time she was. The sheer amount of words, phrases and references that were meaningless to her was staggering. Just before they left the room her brothers had to explain about telephones and mobile phones. John had given her his phone which reacted to her touch and could perform multiple functions. Instead of impressing her though, Wendy began to realise just how much she had to learn before she could even begin to interact with normal people again. A part of her wished they could stay in Storybrooke a little longer where she could be open about her past and her confusion would be normal. But if they were to escape the curse they had to leave as soon as possible.

Realising she was in deep thought again Wendy looked around to see her brothers huddled together beside the window.

They hadn't realised Wendy had come out of her daze yet and were whispering to each other.

"We have to leave now if we're going to escape the curse." Michael insisted. "He won't stop us. Not with Gold and Regina there."

"You know how powerful he is, Michael." John said. "We can't risk him taking her again."

"We can't get stuck here. Who knows what will happen to us under Pan's curse. He might try to take her again. Going now is our best chance." Michael said urgently.

John nodded thoughtfully, looking at the scene below them carefully. "I wonder what they could possibly be saying to him."

Wendy slipped from the room and ran down the stairs. They were talking about Pan. They must be.

Bursting out of the doors she approached the small cluster of people, standing around a disdainful Pan who was the only one to notice her arrival.

Mr Gold was advancing on him but Pan only sneered at the Dark wizard.

"I'd like to see you try." Pan taunted him.

"I'm ready to pay the price necessary to protect my family." Gold responded. "If you had not been so arrogant you might have remembered about my shadow and spent a bit more time wondering what I was using it for."

Pan's eyes widened infinitesimally, Wendy was fairly certain she was the only one to recognise Pan's surprise.

The shadow swooped across the sky as one of her brothers seized her arm.

"Come on Wendy." John urged, pulling her away from the crowd towards their car. "We have to leave now to escape the curse."

Wendy stumbled after them, looking behind her at the crowd.

The shadow dropped a dagger in Gold's hand.

"Peter." She whispered as they neared a corner that would cut off her view.

He met her eyes.

The second paused, stretching out like time did on Neverland.

Unexpectedly a memory came to her, a time when she was in the cage and Pan had demanded her presence. He had come to her, looking unnerved. They didn't speak he just pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly for what felt like hours before his body tensed and he pushed her away, back into the cage, and stormed off.

Was he thinking of the same thing?

The moment passed as Wendy tripped on her own feet, missing the moment Gold must have struck, and was soon blinded by light as her brothers dragged her onwards and pushed her into the backseat of the car.

John sat behind a small steering wheel while Michael clutched onto their bags. The car lurched and Wendy shrieked at the unexpected movement, clutching at the seat as the car accelerated forwards.

Pressing her face to the window she tried to look back on the crowd. Was Pan dead?

The light had faded and she could see no one but a purple mist could be sighted on the horizon.

"John, the curse!" Michael urged, seeing the same mist.

The car, unbelievably, moved faster carrying them away from the town, escaping the mist and, _finally_ , carrying her away from magic.

She was finally free.

"Wendy?" John asked. "Are you alright?"

"I think we're clear you can slow down." Michael told him, looking behind them.

"We'll head to the nearest city and stay there for a few days until we can travel again." John said. "There might be an embassy to go to to get you an official passport. I'm not really sure how we're going to explain this to anyone." He laughed nervously.

"Well there's no rush." Michael said calmly. "We can stay around here as long as you want Wendy. You must be disorientated there's no need to rush anywhere."

"Right." John agreed. "You're free now Wendy. You can go anywhere. We still have the house in London, though we haven't lived there in a long time."

 _Home_. She thought to herself, looking back on her prized memory of their nursery. She had thought of it every night she spent in the cage. It was the thought that carried her through the nights of children's cries and scream.

"Where shall we go Wendy?" Michael prompted her.

"Take me home." She whispered, savouring the words on her lips. It would be a long road ahead of her. There was so much she had to learn but she was ready for it. More than ready. And now that Pan was dead, she thought, quashing any sadness that he had died unredeemed, she would never have to worry about being taken from her home or her family again. She was free to live the life she wanted. And no one would take that from her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, I'm done. Thank you, everyone who has stuck with this story, you're the best. Please take a minute to leave a review and let me know what you thought of it all!!!


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